Georgetown Online Web and Graphic Design Blog - Website and Graphic Design Blog

I’ve had my fair share of requests from clients for the incorporation of different elements into their website projects, however I write here to warn against the use of some of these. While these elements may look cool, they may actually cause harm to the website and drive visitors away.

1. Welcome page. Do not waste your potential visitors time by subjecting them to some flash movie or introductory text before they can enter your main page. Upon entering a website, there must be a clear call to order, otherwise, you may loose visitors. Welcome pages have very little value when it comes to search engine optimization, and flash movies if used take long to load.

2. Audio. Audio embedded in web pages can startle a visitor when the file is fully loaded and begins to play without any warning. If audio is used, it should include controls which give the user the choice of playing it if they so choose.

3. Banner Ads. Unless you are an advertiser, banner ads or link ads can drive potential customers away if they over populate a web page. These should be used sparingly since you do not want to divert your visitors’ attention from your site. When used, banner ads links should be opened in a pop-up  window ensuring that visitors still have your window open.

4. Graphics. Unless the website is used to sell many different products, avoid using multiple images which can slow down the page load. A slow loading page drives visitors away. When used, images should be relevant to the text included in the page.

5. Colour. Colour used on web pages should be consistent throughout the website. Too much colour competes for attention, and in the case of text, it may be hard to read if not in contrast with the background.

6. Fonts. Avoid using colorful fonts, use of many fonts or use of unreadable fonts. A pleasant outlook keeps the visitors hooked on your site.

7. Copy. Avoid the temptation to place a wall of text on any given webpage. Text should be broken down into digestible chunks, and if necessary, spread over several pages. On the converse, too little text is not good for search engine optimization. A balance should be struck here. All said, the content MUST be relevant.

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